Dress Fitting Number 2!

Dress fitting number 2 snuck up on me! Although I started working out and eating better, I felt truly unready to see my dress again. These feelings were mostly due in part to me over-thinking everything about the wedding.  However upon donning Dylan my spirits rose.  I'm finally getting over that anxiety-filled hump of pessimism, in regards to the wedding. 

The dress is gorgeous.  Not that it wasn't before, but with the recent touch-ups Dylan is starting to look amazing. Since she lived her previous life as a floor sample, she needed some major love to move forward as my wedding dress. My seamstress did just that, in the form of a needle and thread.  The buttons, one of which was totally missing and the other torn in half, now rest perfectly in a line.  The snag in the fabric once laughing in my face, is now entirely undetectable.  Oh, and the necklace I bought looks phenomenal. 

As far as fitting her to me goes, we are on the right track! The dress being the perfect length means she needs no hemming.  The bust needs to be taken in, err, again.  I loose weight in that area first, unfortunately.  (Someone needs to tell my butt to get on that trend)

For next time: the bow, the slight tear in the train, and the veil (story for another time).

But the best part?
You can see a visible difference in my physique from the first time I tried on the dress to this fitting.
It's amazing and so fulfilling.
And motivating!

I leave you with a teensie sneak peek of her beauty, my wedding dress:

Honeymoon Decision!

When it came to the honeymoon, I let Mike take the wheel.  I asked him to do all the research.
Because honestly? If it was up to me? I'd book the first, most awesome looking place no matter the price.  I'm like that, though.  I'm not one to research 50-bazillion places and narrow down the choices.
Mike? He's a total decision maker.  He weighed the pro's and con's. He devised a point system for certain items at the different places.  He figured it all out.  He gets ALL the credit. ((Thank you, love!!))
AND?! Soon he will have a post detailing the awesomeness of such.

For now, I can tell you this: we booked it.
There's a solid light at the end of the tunnel.  There's a beach with daiquiris waiting for us. There's peace and quite and sand and ocean.

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Stay tuned for more from Mike!
For now, dream of summer, amidst the cold weather!

Venue Stalking

Occasionally I search the internet for update pictures of our wedding venue.  I always check out the venue itself when we drive by, too.   I won't lie, I wave at it.

At any rate, here are a few recent photos of weddings at the Carnegie Institution!

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{source}  -- our photographer!

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Now THOSE photos get me excited!

We're going to have such a blast!  

Things Fall Apart

I read the book Things Fall Apart in one of my AP English classes, during high school.  I remember so little of it, that when I googled it more confusion came back than nostalgia.  Words like "archetypal African novel" and references to Yeats struck me as something new, rather than something I learned years ago.  Obviously this book's impact on my life remains to be determined.

Regardless, the title stuck with me and resonated this week.

These mittens carry so many good memories and fun times in their threads.  Now my thumbs are cold.

Mike's favorite shirt sprung a small hole.  This conversation piece now leads us to a different discussion.  To keep or toss?

The cats know we registered for a new couch.  They took it up on themselves to help us towards our goal.

Achebe's acclaimed novel explores many themes, one being change. The struggle between change and tradition is constant.  The main character's need to feel in control and his fear that other men will sense weakness in him drive him to make decisions, whether consciously or subconsciously, that he regrets as he progresses through his life.



Things fall apart.
People may pass judgment, but we ourselves can bring structure back.

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity."
-William Butler Yeats



((Egypt in my heart and on my mind.))

Rehearsal Dinner!

The night before the wedding, Mike's dad and step-mom arranged for our rehearsal dinner!  Thing is, we don't quite know when the rehearsal will take place.  It all depends on if the wedding venue is rented that day.  Which, in June, is highly likely.  At any rate, we will all gather together the evening before the wedding for time with friends.  

We intend to invite all out-of-towners, which since we are getting married in a place Mike and I moved to 6 years ago, means about half (if not more) of our wedding invite list!  I like the touch of having out-of-town guests come to the rehearsal dinner.  It shows we appreciate them coming from far away to be close with us. Also I imagine the reception will fly by, and this extra time allows us more quality moments with those guests we rarely get to see!

Mike's dad and step-mom picked a lovely restaurant that Mike and I happen to enjoy very much.  One week last summer we ate there twice, and then followed it up with drinks the next week. You could call it a favorite.
Clyde's is a DC establishment, located in the heart of Gallery Place/China Town.  No, it's not a Chinese restaurant. Clyde's is known as "an updated American saloon where good food and good drink, at good value, with good company, was a good bet." (Taken from their website).  Naturally this seems like the perfect fit for what we are looking for! We reserved a private room for our event so we can get as loud and sappy as we want!

 

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Thank you Barry and Shari for booking a fantastic room for us! We are so excited about the location. It's going to be a great evening!

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Engagement-versary!

One year ago today Mike and I found ourselves in the midst of the panda exhibit at the National Zoo, snow falling gently on us.  He knew something I didn't... as did our friends surrounding us.

Flashback: The first time we ever visited the zoo, happened to be the day Thai Shan the panda was born!  We frequented the exhibit when at the zoo and waved, said our hellos. However all panda bears are on loan from China, even those born here in the states.  As Thai Shan's time in DC came to an end, Mike and I started down a new road.

And then he got down on one knee....
You can read the whole proposal story, AND the watch live video footage of Mike popping the question!
Enjoy.
I do :)





I love you Mike!!! I can't wait to marry you!

SnowDay!

A storm brought icky sleet followed by snow, around the evening commute Wednesday night.  Stories of people abandoning their cars on highways followed by ohs and ahs of the elusive thundersnow clogged the interwebs.

And me? I wore my PJs inside-out and backwards, following the advice of my 7 and 8 year-old students.  Did you also know to flush ice down the toilet and spit as it goes down? Oh and put a spoon in a sock under your pillow, for good measure.
Or just open a bottle of wine and watch the flakes fall.
And frequently jump when your phone gives the tell tale signal of an email or text received, because you, like those darling children, also hope it contains the words "Snow" and "Day," consecutively of course.

By 11pm my wish came true!  My heart did a little dance, mostly because a day off is golden, but also since I knew 21 other little hearts similarly skipped a beat.  A Snow Day! A day to play! A day to finish working on report cards that are due soon.  A chance to email wedding vendors and figure out wedding invitation verbiage.
Another day to work, but not for the man.

In the early afternoon Mike and I ventured out with our dog, Nora.  Plows visited most of the side streets and most neighbors shoveled several sidewalks, but the world looked slushy and puddle-wonderful.  We dodged ice covered intersections and greeted the scarce sighting of neighbors warmly.

I snapped happily, excited for the chance to use City of Blackbird's Photoshop tutorial later. (her textures are shared, free!)

And so I bring you my favorite neighborhood spots, snow covered:

A good walk was had by all.

Stay Warm!